A/N Sorry for updating so late. I try to update the next chapter sooner. I'd like to thank you for reviewing each chapter. Your opinion is important to me. So thank you.
Chapter 14 Think twice.
"How do you mean I'm not ready?" Abby asked.
"Abby, Do you realize what you are getting yourself in to?" Olivia asks.
"Yes, I do realize the danger hanging above my head as soon as ya tell me what you know. Yet here I am. I wanna help ya, Olivia. I know it's killing you that you can't talk to Alex about this because you want to protect her. I also know that you hate it, not telling her."
"Yes I do hate it. But Alex is safer this way. I hate it that I bring you in great danger by telling you this. I don't want anything happens to you. But I have no choice. There is a prosecutor that needs to know this. I don't trust anyone else but you."
"I know you trust me. I know you don't trust anyone else, especially now that everything is out in the open for the cartel. You can do this, Liv. We can do this. And if you gathered the information on this case as you always do, then we probably have a good case or soon have it. You are an excellent Detective that's why you are a real threat for them."
"Yes well that's an understatement, the threat part I mean. Now you better record this and take notes as well. Just to be safe."
"Ok. No problem." Abby says opening her briefcase and pulls out a Dictaphone.
"Have you been filled in on the case so far?" Olivia asks.
"Yes I've been briefed and I read the file."
"Ok so I don't have to fill you in there. That save us time. Damn, where do I start with?"
"Did anybody know that ya have a file? At the precinct I mean."
"No, nobody knows. I only told Hammond that. And I did that because I want them to pay for what they did to Alex."
"What do ya have? Photo's, tapes, paper trails?"
" I have photo's of secret meetings between Velez and guys of the cartel. 2 tapes with conversations and video tapes of conversations and 1 videotape with images of an execution. Paper trails of secret bank accounts, orders for hits, orders from a few actions ordered by Velez and Zapata. There are a lot of blanks but I have a pretty good view of who stands where in the cartel."
"Damn ya, Liv! Why didn't you came forward sooner?"
"Hold your horses Abby! I got the most of it yesterday. Did you really think that if I had all of this sooner I would have come forward? That I wouldn't do something to prevent that Alex got shot? What the hell Carmichael?!"
"Sorry you are right. It's just the shock I think. Of course I know that you would have done anything to prevent Alex getting shot."
"What I had before Alex got shot was mostly circumstantial. I brought the tapes and the paperwork that was send to me to the precinct. I don't know who send them to me but they were send to my home address. I made copies of the paperwork and kept them in a different file in my locker on the precinct. I didn't want to lose the evidence. I was gonna bring everything to the feds today. What I don't have are locations. I don't have a clue where Velez or other high members are hiding. I don't know the location or locations where they are dealing the drugs or where they have their labs. That sort of things. So it's gonna be hell to find that out even with what we have so far."
"I'll be damned. Liv, you have everything we need to get arrest warrants. Even if you don't know locations with what you have we should be able to find them."
"It's not that easy Abs, don't you think if it was that easy I would have tracked down some locations? In the paperwork I found what they sold sometimes, or what need to be done. But never where or a time. The bank accounts are not in this country or in Colombia. And we need to prove that what came in from who it was or where it came from. I don't even know what country they are."
"Still, ya did an amazing job, Olivia Benson. And you are right. Ya are in great danger. If we can connect everything and find the locations. We can take out the whole cartel. Holy shit, slap me twice and call me Shirley, Detective."
"Yes, I know that. Do you understand it now why I don't want Alex to know all of this? And no I don't that. I've my dream woman now and if I can help it I won't screw this up, Tex."
"Yes I understand that. And hey, I ain't a home wrecker. I know you are taken. Cabot's ya girl and vice versa. Y'all belong to each other. Ya need to write that letter to Cragen now and sign it. I need your locker code too. Hammond's gonna be a busy man. Ya got him work for months. Not to mention what ya have for me."
"Yeah I know you aren't. Tell me where to sit down and I write that letter right now. The sooner we can get out of here and get of the radar the better it is."
"Ya got that right. Let me get a notebook and Hammond in here. He need to go to the precinct yesterday. To get your files and tapes."
"Ok. I'll wait here I guess?"
"Yeah. Be right back in a few."
Abby walks out of the interview room and shakes her head when she walks to the Captain's office.
'Shit, that gal knows how to do her job and get in big trouble too. They want to eat her for dinner and it ain't in a good way.'
Abby walks to the Captain's office and knocks on the door.
"Come in." Flanagan answers.
Abby opens the door and walks inside.
"I need a notebook and Agent Hammond to come with me." Abby says.
Flanagan opens a drawer from his desk and pulls out a notebook. He hands it over to Abby.
"Why do you need Agent Hammond to come with you?" Flanagan asks.
"We need to discus something." Abby answers.
"Can't that be discussed here,now?"
"No it ain't. Now Agent Hammond if you would follow me please." Abby says.
Hammond get out of his seat and walks to door waiting to follow Abby.
Abby walks out if Flanagan's office and walks to the interview room with Hammond.
"What is it that we need to discus that couldn't be discussed in Flanagan's office?" Hammond asks.
"Detective Badass here is in more trouble then you think she is. You need to go back to New York and go to the precinct to get all the evidence and the files, yesterday. She has photo's of secret meetings between Velez and guys of the cartel. 2 tapes with conversations and video tapes of conversations and 1 videotape with images of an execution. Paper trails of secret bank accounts, orders for hits, orders from a few actions ordered by Velez and Zapata. There are a lot of blanks but Olivia thinks she knows who stands where in the cartel. We can't talk about that in Flanagan's office with Alex there present. First, because it would her in the same amount of danger as Olivia is. Second, because Olivia doesn't want Alex to know it for Alex's safety." Abby explains.
"Oh, damn you Benson! Don't tell me you had all of this the whole time." Hammond says
"Go fuck yourself Hammond. What do you think I am. Some beat cop rookie? Of course not had I all this the whole time. I'm not stupid. I got most of it yesterday and I was gonna bring it to you today. And if you don't change your attitude real quick I'm gonna kick your ass for the third time. Your choice." Olivia replies.
"Now as tempting as that may be. We have some work to do." Abby interrupted them.
"Hammond, go arrange a plain ticket for the first flight back to New York. Olivia, go write that letter for Cragen. We need to get you gals moving, fast."
"Ok, I arrange a plain ticket. Benson you fill in Flanagan and Agent Perez after you write that letter." Hammond says.
"Ah Ah. Not gonna happen. Alex is with Flanagan and Maricel." Olivia says.
"Alex can come to sit with me." Abby says.
"No offense, Carmichael. But I'm not gonna let Alex out of my sight unprotected. For some strange reason I don't trust the FBI so much. That doesn't include you, Hammond and Maricel. Just to be clear." Olivia reacts.
"I can't say I blame ya, Liv. How about Hammond gonna talk with Flanagan and Maricel, you and Alex are gonna stay with me?" Abby answers.
"Fine on one condition. Hammond, you check Flanagan's phones first. His cellphone and his land line. If they are clear then you can talk with Flanagan and Maricel." Olivia answers.
"Ok. I bring Alex to the two of you first. I can arrange the flight from Flanagan's office after I checked his phones." Hammond says.
"Ok. That's fine. I'm writing the letter to Cragen for you now." Olivia says.
"I'll be back in moment. No wait, on the second thought why don't you come with me to get her? I don't want to piss off Cabot again. I've had enough of that the last two days."
"What, you are afraid of a woman?" Olivia snickers.
"Not just a woman. We are talking about Alex Cabot here. Besides if I get pissed off and I can't keep myself calm, you gonna kick my ass again. I think I had enough of that too." Hammond answers.
"You got that right. Ok, I'm coming with you. How much I like to kick your ass again I don't want Alex get upset by you again." Olivia says.
"Just get Alex here. Do ya two ever stop?" Abby asks.
They both turned to Abby and say at the same time "NO".
Abby shakes her head.
"Go get ya gal, Benson. Playing time is over for now."
"Ok. For you I stop for now. I'll be right back with Alex. " Olivia answers.
Hammond and Olivia walk back to Flanagan's office.
"On the second hand, I do want to talk with Maricel. She will be the lead of the team, right?" Olivia asks.
"Yes, she will be. With you of course." Hammond answers.
"I take Alex to Abby. Maricel and I can talk in front of the door. Alex will be protected by the two of us." Olivia says.
"That is a possibility yes. Ans since I'm due to go to New York. Everything will be in your hands until I come back. Then in the house the lead will be yours but everything else will be mine."
"Ok. Fine by me. Let's do it this way."
Hammond and Olivia have reached Flanagan's office and Hammond knocks on the door.
"Come in." Flanagan says.
Hammond opens the door and he and Olivia walks inside. Olivia closes the door behind her.
Hammond and Olivia looks at each other and Hammond gives a short almost invisible nod to Olivia. Olivia noticed it though.
She looks around and ended looking Alex in her eyes.
"Alex I need you to come with me. I bring you to Abby. Hammond needs to talk with Captain Flanagan about the case. And I need to talk with Maricel about it. You stay with Abby, Maricel and I will be standing in front of the door. OK?" Olivia asks.
"I can go to Abby and the four of you can talk here." Alex answers.
"No, that's not an option. I won't let you alone with Abby unprotected. Hammond is gonna talk here and I'm gonna talk with Maricel in front of the door. The door will be closed of course." Olivia replies.
"Ok. What ever you want." Alex says.
"What's that suppose to mean? What ever you want." Olivia asks. A little irritated.
"Nothing. Forget it." Alex answers trough gritted teeth.
"No I won't. Out with it, Cabot." Olivia yells.
Maricel saw where this was going to and stands up.
"I think we shall leave the ladies alone for a minute." Maricel says.
Nodding to the door she walks to it and waited for Hammond and Flanagan to follow. When they walked trough she follows them to the hallway and closes the door behind her.
"Believe me, you don't want to be in the middle of this." Maricel says to Hammond and Flanagan.
Abby heard Olivia yelling and walks to Flanagan's office only to see Maricel, Hammond and Flanagan standing outside the office.
"Let me guess they are having one of their legendary fights and the three of ya choose to stay out of the line of fire." Abby smirks.
"What legendary fights?" Flanagan asks.
"It is common knowledge that those two can fight like cats and dogs. In New York they are notorious for their fights in the DA's office and the 1-6 precinct. However even they fight like cats and dogs with each other they won't allow anyone else to point a finger to the other." Abby answers.
Hammond and Maricel look at each other.
"Oh, boy." They both say at the same time.
Inside Flanagan's office Alex and Olivia are standing toe tot toe.
"Care to clarify yourself, Counselor?" Olivia asks angrily.
"I told you to forget it. That it is nothing, Detective." Alex answers coldly.
"Uh uh. Not buying it. You know for a lawyer you really suck at lying."
"Yeah, well for a Detective you are to nosy."
"Oh really? For heaven's sake. Quit avoiding the question Cabot. What is it that you have on your chest?"
"Why can't I stay with Abby, alone? Why don't you trust her?"
"It has nothing to do with trusting Abby."
"Oh, it's me you don't trust. Glad to find that out now, Detective." Alex shouts to Olivia.
"That's just ridiculous, Alex. And you know it. Sounds to me you don't trust me, Counselor!" Olivia shouts back.
"Don't turn the table, Benson. This is about you not about me."
"The hell it is. You started this, Cabot. You said I don't trust Abby and that I don't trust you. Why? I don't now. You know I trust Abby and I trust you. Ya think I go with you in Witsec if I didn't trust you? "
"Clearly you don't trust me. Otherwise you wouldn't need to talk about things without me."
"You know for someone as intelligent as you are, you're acting pretty stupid. I trust you with my life. Not that it matters to you though."
"If you trust me with your life then tell me what this about. Because it doesn't look that way." Alex now yells to Olivia.
"This is about keeping you safe. They shot you, Alex. I won't tell what's going on to protect you. I hate it that I had to tell Abby because she is in danger now too. And I won't let you alone with her to protect you. Trusting her doesn't have anything to do with it. I do trust her. It's the FBI I don't trust accept for Hammond and Maricel and so far I trust Flanagan because Hammond trusts him. There is leak in the bureau in case you haven't noticed it. I don't want anything happen to you because without you my life is isn't so precious anymore."
"I'm sorry, Liv. I don't know why I was thinking what I thought. I should have know that it was about protecting me. Will you please forgive me?"
" You stay with Maricel and Flanagan. Hammond needs to arrange a flight. I'm going to Abby and write that letter to Cragen. I will forgive you, Alex. But to forget it, that will take some time. You hurt me, pretty bad. You didn't trust me. Didn't believe me. I'm sorry, Alex. Right now I need some time to think." Olivia answers and walks to the door closing it behind her and leaving Alex behind in Flanagan's office.